Detoxing daily supports your liver, which has 500 different metabolic jobs to empty out the toxic waste that hampers weight loss and leads to belly bloat. But this does not mean you need to starve. Instead, here's a simple 24-hour plan to take care of your body and flatten your belly.
Our bodies are detoxing themselves naturally all the time to prevent us from getting sick. However, the toxins in our modern world put increasing demands on the body’s detoxification pathways. When the system gets overloaded, we can experience one or more of the following:
—Inflammation
—Thyroid issues
—Headaches
—Adult acne
—Belly bloat
—Weight gain or loss
—Allergies (chemical or food)
—Poor sleep
—Loss of sex drive
—Mood swings, anxiety, depression
—IBS or constipation
—Diabetes, cancer, or other diseases
Welcome to Your Flat Belly 24-Hour Detox
Take the next 24 hours to improve the quality of your digestion, which will lessen the belly bloat. Along with simple meals that give your digestion a rest, practice dry skin brushing and try a castor oil pack to aid your body in its efforts to get rid of toxins.
Taking an Epsom salt bath also helps detox through your skin and up your intake of magnesium needed for good digestion and healthy detoxification, which leads to weight loss and a flatter belly.
Breakfast: Strawberry Kale Smoothie
As they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This means choosing foods that are not only healthy but will also help you get through the day with maximum energy. Hydration is also an essential part of detoxing, and that includes starting your day with plenty of water.
It's a good idea to get some light exercise in before breakfast, even just a quick yoga workout. It's helpful to do just enough to get your blood flowing and important not to overdo it.
Once you're hydrated and energized, this strawberry kale smoothie is a sure way to start your detox by getting your first dose of greens for the day. Not only is kale amazingly healthy, but the chia seeds also add a much-needed dose of fiber and protein. Plus, strawberries add just the right amount of sweetness.
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Kale Smoothie | 24-Hour Detox
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups non-dairy milk
- ½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries
- ½ cup kale
- ½ frozen banana
- 2 tablespoons hemp or chia seeds
- ¼–½ cup ice cubes (the larger amount if using fresh strawberries)
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients and enjoy!
Lunch: Avocado Salad with Lime Dressing
Lunch is usually the time when we start getting really hungry and sometimes close to a midday slump. During a detox, it's very important to watch what you eat and make sure you're getting the nutrients your body needs. This is also another great time for a quick exercise break, even if it just means getting up and walking around the office or doing some desk stretches.
A light detox lunch like this avocado salad is perfect for filling you up without weighing you down—the main point of detox! Incorporating heart-healthy fats, like avocado, is a great way to get your nutrients but still keep it light.
The spinach is also an excellent ingredient during a detox period to fill you up with loads of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, vitamins, and minerals.
📖 Recipe
Avocado Salad with Lime Dressing | 24-Hour Detox
Ingredients
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 6–8 cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium cucumber, chopped
- 1 avocado, diced
For the Lime Dressing
- 2 limes, juiced
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the dressing
- Add your lime juice, ground cumin, raw apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients until well blended. Set it to the side.
Mix the salad
- Add baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado into a bowl. Top with lime dressing, and serve immediately.
Dinner: Belly Bloat-Busting Salad
Ah...evening—time to unwind. Instead of slumping down on the couch (although tempting), try to do something special for yourself. You're taking care of your body while detoxing, so take care of your mind, too.
Exercise, meditate, hit the sauna, or go for a swim. When it comes time for dinner, don't take it to the TV. Try sitting at the table, so you can focus on your meal and avoid overeating.
After trying out this delicious bloat-busting salad, it's time to relax. Take a bath and avoid technology before bed to ensure a restful sleep. Sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our bodies because it’s a major detox time.
When the body isn’t busy dealing with all of the external stressors, it can work on the internal processes to keep things running at full capacity. So, when detoxing (and any time), it's essential to make sleep a priority.
📖 Recipe
Belly Bloat-Busting Salad | 24-Hour Detox
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped broccoli, steamed
- 1 tangerine, peeled with segments separated
- Handful of parsley
- Fennel slices (optional)
- ½ cup grape tomatoes
- 1 large cucumber, diced or sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ⅛ cup pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Chop the broccoli, fennel, parsley, cucumber, and grape tomatoes.
- Then peel the tangerines and separate into segments.
- Add the tangerine, avocado, and pumpkin seeds and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar, and lemon.
- Toss the salad so it's coated with dressing, and feel free to squeeze extra lemon for a nice refreshing detox salad.
Favorite Flat Belly Snack: Kale Chips
This is our all-time favorite flat pick-me-up, but you can also try a smoothie, green juice, or 15 raw almonds as a snack.
I cannot wait to hear how you feel. I know when I take one whole day to reset my body, I feel amazing. Imagine how you would feel if you did this plan for a longer period of time!
📖 Recipe
Flat Belly Kale Chips | 24-Hour Detox
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300° Fahrenheit.
- Wash and dry the kale. Rip the kale into bite-sized pieces and place it in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining seasonings and mix well.
- Bake the kale for 20 minutes and serve immediately.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified physician who has been practicing for more than 20 years. Learn more about Hello Glow's medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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